Abstract [en]

The purpose of this study is to investigate young children’s possibility to participation and influence in preschool settings. The specific questions were: If and how do preschool teachers work with young children's influence and participation? In what way is the preschool teachers approach closely related to young children's opportunity to influence and participate? The results show that preschool teachers do work with young children’s influence and participation by keeping them involved in the preschool settings and considering their interest when planning the activities. The teachers also interpret the children’s ability to express their wishes and needs through nonvocal communication such as gestures and body language. The teacher's approach was shown as closely connected to the children opportunity to influence and participate in consideration to how close the teacher was to the child’s perspective and how they viewed the child. In summary this study concludes that the children’s ability to exert influence and participation will increase by endeavouring to come close to the child’s perspective and balancing the routines of the preschool settings as well as taking the child’s individuality into consideration.